Glass containers and closures for same



July 25, 1967 w. F. ELSER 3,332,565

GLASS CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES FOR SAME Filed March 7, 1966 m-vzzmorz WILLIAM F. ELSER United States Patent O 3,332,565 GLASS CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES FOR SAME William F. Elser, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illinois, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed Mar. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 532,377 1 Claim. (Cl. 215-39) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An hermetically sealed bottle or jar having an external side sealing surface about its mouth and a continuous cap retaining shoulder at the lower margin of said surface to secure a skirted primary closure cap to the bottle, with the skirt of the cap shaped to provide a shoulder to holdingly engage a removable reseal cover cap which is usable to close a dispensing opening created by removing a part of the top panel.

My invention relates to hermetically sealed glass containers such for example as wide-mouth jars and more particularly, is concerned with the provision of simple means for gaining access to the packaged contents by removal of all, or only a portion of the top panel section of a metal closure cap leaving at least a rim portion permanently afiixed to the jar.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a package comprising a glass jar, or the like receptacle, which is hermetically sealed by means of a sheet metal closure cap, the latter having a peripheral depending attaching skirt permanently contracted beneath a mouth defining beaded rim and designed to remain secured to the jar, while the top, or panel portion, is constructed to provide ready access to the packaged contents.

It is also an object of my invention to provide in a closure cap as suggested above, means for readily removing either a small portion of the panel to perm-it pouring, or dispensing, of liquid products, or removal of the entire panel to facilitate ready emptying of the container of products other than liquid.

A further object of my invention is the provision in a container and closure cap of the above character of means facilitating application and retention of a reseal cover cap for the purpose of preserving for future consumption, any unused portions of the packaged product remaining in the container. To this end, the primary closure cap attaching skirt, is contoured cross-sectionally to provide a continuous external holding and sealing surface, effectively engageable with the reseal cover cap, this latter preferably being a one-piece polyethylene element having an attaching skirt designed to snugly fit over and seal against the attaching skirt of the primary closure cap.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of my application:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of my invention showing the container sealed.

FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1 but with the top panel portion entirely removed to provide a full-opening for dispensing purposes.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the primary closure cap in sealing position and in dotted lines, the reseal cover cap.

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 1 but with the top panel provided with a covered small pouring opening for liquid products.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the reseal cover cap.

In one form of my invention (FIGS. 1-3), it is illustrated as comprising a glass jar 10, or the like container, having a mouth opening 11 defined by an annular wall 12 or neck which terminates in a rim 13 providing a top sealing surface. Externally, the wall 12 is shaped to provide an annular, generally downwardly facing shoulder 14, or abutment which, in addition to creating part of a sealing surface for contact with the sealing ring 15, functions as a stop to hold the closure cap C against removal, as will be apparent presently.

The closure cap C is formed of sheet metal and comprises a top portion 16, or panel and at its periphery has an annular depending attaching skirt 17. This attaching skirt may be of any preferred cross-sectional contour, but in any event has its lower fraction curved inwardly, when the cap is applied to the jar, so that it firmly squeezes a a part of the sealing ring between it (the skirt), and the aforementioned abutment 14, so that only with great difliculty can the skirt be separated from the jar. A curl o1 hollow bead 18 is provided at the lower edge of the skirt. In view of the foregoing, it is to be understood that in practice the skirt and contiguous portions of the panel remain permanently on the jar, once the cap and jar have been assembled. It will be observed that the inward curvature of the skirt creates a generally downwardly facing annular shoulder 19 designed for holding engagement with a reseal cover cap 20, as will be brought out presently.

The top portion or panel 16 of the closure cap, where the packed product warrants, may be removed substantially in its entirety to facilitate removal of such product, by spooning, or otherwise. To this end, the top portion may well be provided with a pair of side by side scores 21 which encircle said top portion near its juncture with the skirt. A finger piece 22 at one end of the tear strip 23 created by said scores 21 facilitates removal of the strip and subsequent displacement of the panel. Thus the package is opened, leaving the skirt and adjacent portions of the panel permanently secured to the jar. In the event the jar is not initially completely emptied of the product, the reseal cover cap 20 is snapped over the mouth opening. This cap may well be formed of polyethylene, or a similar thermoplastic material, and comprises a panel 24 and depending peripheral attaching skirt 25, the latter curved transversely, or in any event, formed with a shoulder 26 positioned for holding, sealing engagement with the external shoulder 19 near the exterior lower margin of the closure cap skirt 17. Thus any unused portion of the product may be preserved for future use. A finger tab 27 on the reseal cover cap facilitates removal, as is obvious.

In the event the product is pourable, as a liquid, it may well be undesirable to remove the entire panel. Accordingly, instead of scoring the panel as in FIG. 1, I may score the panel to define a generally triangular tear strip 28 to which I affix a finger tab 29. Thus, when I desire to pour the product I first grasp the finger tab and lift it, using the same to remove the tear strip.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In combination, a glass container embodying an annular mouth-defining wall formed with an external generally downwardly facing shoulder encircling said wall, said shoulder providing a sealing surface and part of closure cap-retaining means, a sheet metal closure cap comprising a top panel portion, a depending peripheral attaching skirt telescoped over said mouth-defining wall and having its lower margin contracted toward said shoulder to permanently secure at least the skirt to said wall and create an external annular downwardly facing shoulder to holdingly engage a reseal cover cap skirt, a sealing ring at the junction of the skirt and top panel portion and being of an extent to in part lie between and engage at least said shoulder and said lower margin, there being closure cap with the skirt releasably holdingly engaging the shoulder on said skirt.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,481,111 9/1949 Griswold 215-40 10 2,733,827 2/1956 Foye 21540 4 4/1963 Walsh 222--541 6/1964 Tracy 220-29 9/1966 Davie 215-46 FOREIGN PATENTS 8/ 1964 Canada. 3/ 1961 France. 9/ 1964 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DONALD F. NORTON, Examiner. 

